Liquids and other dispensable materials, such as powders, gels, and granules, have been stored in a variety of containers having lids, caps, or stoppers adapted to permit pouring or decanting of the materials.
A number of different pour spouts have been developed to both address the types of liquid or powders, etc., that might need to be poured from a container, as well as fit the range of containers that have been used to store the liquids.
Alcoholic beverages such as whiskey have normally been stored and shipped in, and served from, bottles with narrow necks. To convert such bottles from a shipping and storing role to a serving role, they have typically been fitted with specially adapted pour spouts that seal the top of the bottle and provide a metered flow of liquor when dispensing a shot. A bottle fitted with such a pour spout can conveniently be kept behind a bar, such as in an inn or restaurant, and used to dispense a drink to a customer on demand.
Other types of container, however, would not be suitable for this purpose. For example, a wide-mouthed jar may conveniently store liquor but would be a difficult receptacle from which to pour or dispense liquor. Recently, however, it has become popular to deliver traditional forms of liquor to bars and restaurants in wide-mouthed jars, such as Mason jars, and thereby emphasize aspects of the liquor's heritage. US Patent Publication 2012-01813071 A1 (Grosser) and US Application Publication 2015-0274384 (Goldstein and Webber), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties, describe a pour spout for a wide-mouthed container adapted to a screw-on lid to pour a liquid from the inside of the container to the outside. Grosser describes a single piece lid made of a lightweight metal such as Aluminum, Tin, or an alloy and attaches with threads to the threads of a wide-mouthed jar such as a Mason Jar. Goldstein and Webber describe a unitary cover lid with an integral pour spout.
Notwithstanding, there is a continuing need for an improved pour spout and lid for a wide-mouthed jar that has improved features for the cleaning of the pour spout and lid, and with improved sealing properties.